Peter Pan was Bleached!
by O'chibi-brat
Summary: Ichigo just wanted to live out his normal life with his beloved family. No fairytale mermaids, no munchkins in green outfits, and NO sexy, seductive pirates. Yeah, right. Grimmichi, onesided Nelichi. There will be yaoi! Beware!
1. The First Story

Hello, all! This is my second plot bunny I've ever tried to actually write, so please encourage me. Stroke my ego! Review!

For those who have read my Sorta Cinderella: XxxNote Chronicles Style story, I'm going to be updating that soon as well. I've just been so annoyingly busy lately…augh!

Anyway, I am a yaoi fan girl. Therefore, there will be yaoi. This isn't going to be an IchiNel fic…though that is one of the few hetero couples I actually like. I'm thinking Grimmichi, just cuz. Don't judge! It's in my head, I know what I'm doing.

So, please read and review my bleached-out Peter Pan…

…and no, I don't own Peter Pan or Bleach. Disclaimers are so stupid. Isn't it obvious?

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I'm not sure if you readers have noticed this, but all fairy tales seem to start the same way. Once upon a time…such a phrase never gets old, does it? Well, it is seemingly the proper way to start things off, as this is very much like the fairy tales we have all been told as children, but not quite a fairy tale in itself, so perhaps I should rethink my opening…umm…a midnight dreary? Yes, that would work wonderfully.

Once upon a midnight dreary, there was a small family of four resting rather fitfully, for it was a very dreary midnight, indeed. Thunder was crashing, lightning was flashing, and hail as round as quarters were raining down from the heavens onto the metal roof of the two-story house in which our dear Kurosakis' were occupying.

Now, the Kurosakis' were a fairly average family, in their own right. A rather comedic man in his late thirties, Isshin Kurosaki was a well-trusted family doctor. He had a knack for cheering up the sickest of patients, and could make a dying man crack a smile at the most horrid of jokes. And believe you me, he could tell some pretty awful jokes. He certainly wasn't the most mature man in the world, if his monster poster of his deceased wife, Misaki, was anything to go by. One would think having someone like him for a father would be awesome. His children might disagree.

Yuzu Kurosaki, a slightly meek girl of eight years, voluntarily took up the role of housekeeper as soon as she was old enough to hold a mop. It was quite easy for her to do this, as she was home schooled. Her entire world seemed to revolve around her family. So very sweet, the blonde loved helping her father by taking care of the house almost as much as she loved her extensive (and strange) doll collection. Yuzu seemed to be the very essence of a good daughter.

Karin, however, did not seem so sweet. Yuzu's twin in age only, she was very much a tomboy. She went to school, did her work, and hung out with the boys the rest of the day. Of course, that did not mean that she herself wasn't a good child. Anyone who witnessed her reaction to a bullying could attest to that. This dark haired eight-year-old was an incredible soccer player, so, naturally, she was rather good at kicking, and found strength in herself whenever someone weaker than her was hurting. So, Karin was also a good daughter, though a bit rough around the edges.

Then there was Ichigo.

Ichigo Kurosaki, age fifteen. An average high school student, who happened to have a father who lacked something in the brain department, no mother, and two little sisters that meant the world to him.

To his utmost chagrin, he was the only one of the Kurosaki children to inherit his mother's appearance (save, perhaps, Yuzu's eyes). He had strawberry blonde hair, almost orange, set in spikes atop his head. He wasn't very tall at all, though he was narrow, a bit willowy, and very strong. He had learned karate when he was younger than his sisters.

Ichigo's eyes were of a light chocolate color, so light that they seemed orangeish at times, and looked warm, both sweet and kind. Yes, he was rather lovely in appearance…or would have been if not for the permanent scowl upon his brow…

Like Karin, he couldn't stand seeing someone hurting, and had an incredible determination about him to keep his loved ones safe and happy, though he'd never say it out loud, and he would most probably throttle yours truly for calling him sweet. I thank God for pen names every day.

Anyway, the point is, despite Ichigo's nearly permanent scowl and attempts at seeming cool and manly, he was a very sweet person, arguably more sweet than Yuzu. I cannot quite explain to you how this might be. I can only tell you his and his sisters' story, and hope it speaks for itself-a story I seem to have trailed off of. Do pardon, please.

This very dreadful night in which only the irrepressible Isshin could find solace in dreams is a fine example of what I wish to convey. To begin our story, let us intrude upon the young Kurosaki twins.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_Stupid thunder._

**Creak!**

_Stupid lightning._

**Groan…**

_Stupid noisy rain._

"Sigh…"

_So this is what Hell is like._

**CREAK…!**

_I've had it!_

"Yuzu! Will you just be quiet and go to sleep, already?!"

"Sorry, Karin! I just can't seem to get comfortable!"

It was true. No matter what they did, neither of the two could manage to fall asleep. Yuzu couldn't nod off with the crashing thunder, and Karin couldn't sleep for Yuzu's noise. She tried everything to get her sister to calm down, from actually going into the kitchen, an area that Karin should forever be banned from, to fetch her warm milk, to finding her favorite doll to cuddle with. As much as Yuzu loved her stuffed lion, he wasn't enough to comfort her into dreamland. Now it was nearing the midnight hour, and Karin was no closer to sleep than when she started.

"Ya know, I've about decided that it's useless."

"What's useless, Karin?"

"This." She threw her arms about the room, looking as if the answer were completely obvious. "We're not going to get any sleep, so we may as well go do something a little more productive."

"Like what?" Yuzu frowned.

"Like harass Brother Dear and see if we can't milk a good story out of him," She responded with an imp-like smirk on her face.

"Ooh! We haven't done that in forever! Let's go, let's go!" The blonde's face lit up with the promise of something to do.

"Alright, but we'll have to be quiet. You know how Dad gets."

Yuzu nodded. She knew very well how her dad got. He was either overly sensitive or overly dramatic; her young mind couldn't process which, but he had seemed awfully hurt the last time he had woken up to find that his children were up late and having fun without him. He cried fat tears and everything. Yuzu felt very guilty, still. Karin and Ichigo felt like gagging at his over dramatized theatrics, knowing he wasn't sad in the least. Nevertheless, the sisters were pretty sure they had nothing to worry about. Their noise couldn't possibly wake him up if he could sleep so peacefully with the thunder as loud as it was. Still, they were sure to be as quiet as possible as they crept up the stairs to the second floor, Yuzu's hand covering where Bartholomew's mouth was, as if the stuffed lion could yell and give them away. There was no sense trying to think logically where Isshin Kurosaki was concerned.

They paused when they came across the bedroom door that had "Stupid People Will Be Eaten" written on it with a picture of Godzilla drawn in crayon. Karin looked upon her own handiwork with pride for a second before quietly twisting the doorknob.

Though the twins were very good girls, not to mention diverse, they both shared a similar mischievous side not many would suspect them of possessing. For example, they both enjoyed the art of sneaking up on their unsuspecting brother and pouncing on him just to see his facial expression.

That was exactly what they had in mind as they gave twin smirks to each other and began tiptoeing into the tidy room. They held their breath, slowly putting one foot in front of the other, holding hands as they made their way across to the right side of Ichigo's bed. As if the same person, Yuzu and Karin let out the breath they were holding and took in another pint of oxygen, readying themselves for the pounce, which they were just about-

-"Don't even think about it."

The twins visibly deflated.

"Why'd you have to go and ruin our fun?" Karin grumbled.

"Because I was the victim, maybe?" Ichigo sat up in his bed, turning his honey-like eyes on the two intruders before him. "Can I ask why you're sneaking into my room this late at night? You two do realize it's midnight, right?"

"Ichigooo…" Yuzu whined. "We can't sleep!"

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Tell us a bedtime story!"

At this, Ichigo's scowl deepened. "Aren't you a bit old for bedtime stories?"

"I'm only eight!" Yuzu's lower lip proceeded to jut out in her indignation. Ichigo sighed and looked over to Karin, silently asking if she had the same wish. She did.

"You may as well, Ichigo. It's not like you're getting any sleep either."

"Fine…" He said, patting the bedding next to him, which his sisters took as indication to sit and listen. "Okay, which one do you want to hear? And it'd better not be Jack and the Beanstalk again! It's too scary and you'll never go to sleep." And it was scary. Every story Ichigo told, he couldn't help but add his own personal twists, twists that changed every time he told them, so the story was never predictable. Yuzu didn't take too well to Jack being a cannibal…

They eventually decided on The Boy Who Cried Wolf, so Ichigo dutifully began weaving an incredible tale about the bandit's young nephew who continually rang false alarms during their thieving ventures. As he began the story, speaking loudly to be heard over the thunder, his sisters moved close to him, showing their devoted attention. Perhaps if their attention had not been so devoted, they would have noticed the small creature that flew to Ichigo's window, using the roof jutting out to escape the raging storm. However, none of the children did notice it, so let's forget the what-ifs.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"The boy's eyes widened, panic settling in. For before him truly was a bandit's worst nightmare."

Yuzu leaned in, eager to hear the climax to her brother's story. Karin wanted to do the same, but stopped herself in the nick of time. It wouldn't do for the cool one to be so easily engrossed into some silly fairy tale.

"Before him stood One Eyed John, the best shot in the West, and the most despicable constable there ever was."

Naturally, the gun got Karin. She joined her sister in leaning towards Ichigo.

"He had no idea what to do. He supposed the smart thing was to cry John, as he had falsely done two times already, but nothing would come out. He looked very much like a fish out of water. More than that, he felt like a fish out of water. He couldn't breathe."

The uninvited guest's heart felt like it was racing. What a story! The being had forgotten all about the cold rain. The thunder seemed to have faded away into nothingness. Listening to the story being spoken into existence through those tanned lips brought on a real warmth that was a comfort to the creature.

"As the legendary constable raised his infamous golden guns, the boy began frantically screaming. 'John! It's One Eyed John!' over and over again…but no one came."

"What happened next?" Karin's eyes betrayed her thoughts. Unlike Yuzu, she very much enjoyed her brother's version of Jack and the Beanstalk, and was hoping for another sick twist that would leave Yuzu with nightmares.

"One Eyed John slowly, meticulously cocked the guns and aimed directly at the watch boy's forehead. He steadied his arms, paying as much attention to the boy's screaming as the boy's partners in crime had. He pulled the trigger and-"

-KNOCK!

Well, if that didn't sound completely obnoxious. The creature gaped at it's stupidity. It was so into the story, it leaned in and knocked it's headplate right into the glass. Judging by the children's reactions, it had not been at all quiet. The creature quickly moved up towards the roof.

Ichigo ran to the window just as the visitor made it's escape. Karin, holding Yuzu still, refrained from moving from the bed. "What is it?" Karin asked.

"I…don't know." Ichigo looked at his surroundings, but there was no way anyone could have been at their window. They were on the second floor, and there were no trees a burglar could climb. He hung out the window to see if he could spot anything below him, grateful for the usually pointless roofing that stuck out just above his window, preventing him from getting soaked. There were no signs of life anywhere around them.

"I guess a bird knocked into the window. Don't worry," he added hastily. "There's nothing on the ground below, so it was fine enough to fly away."

Yuzu looked relieved, but she wasn't much in the mood for a story after that.

"Could we maybe finish this tomorrow? I think I can sleep now."

Ichigo tousled her hair, smiling at her sleepy expression. "Yeah, I'm sure you could. Go on. We can do the rest later."

Returning his smile with a grateful one of her own, she picked up Bartholomew, took Karin's hand, and went downstairs, hopefully for some much needed sleep.

Ichigo hoped they got sleep, because he wasn't so lucky. He tried to tire himself out by fixing his baseball bat's tape. It had come undone due to a friend's carelessness. Ichigo frowned. Stupid Keigo…he really needed to stop lending him his stuff. He always broke it. Finishing his task, he set the bat down next to him and crawled back under the covers, but his insomnia remained. All he could do was close his eyes and try to nod off.

He was just like this when his heart nearly stopped for the second time that night. It wasn't his imagination. He knew it wasn't. His window creaked quietly as it was raised by someone on the other side- the side with the twenty foot drop.

Being sure not to alert the intruder, Ichigo slowly reached out and grabbed the baseball bat he'd left resting against the wall next to him, pulling it under the covers. His ears perked as he heard tiny footfalls approach the side of his bed. His brow furrowed further in confusion. What was this thing? The footsteps were so light…

His hand tightened around the rewound tape as the assumedly small creature pulled at the sheets, apparently trying to climb up.

_Why haven't I done anything yet? _Ichigo was completely baffled by the whole situation. He'd never thought himself to be the curious type, yet here he was, letting it keep him from hindering someone who was quite possibly dangerous, not even twitching when the intruder accomplished it's goal and sat behind Ichigo on the bed.

_Huh. It is small…_

Ichigo was clueless as to what to do when the unwelcome visitor curled up into his back, soaked from the rain outside, sighing contentedly in a high, childish voice. At a complete loss, Ichigo simply continued to pretend to sleep.

This was how the night went on. Ichigo remained tense as a violin string, the intruder, who he now knew to be quite small, indeed, happily cuddling into him. His hand was still on the bat, but…it was kind of comfortable. Even with the dampness at his back, he found that he felt restful. Whatever it was, it was far too small to pose a threat. It was almost as if it were a toddler…

Ichigo ended up falling asleep after all.

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Hyuu! Seven pages on the prologue!

What do ya'll think? Does it sound good so far? I know Ichigo seems a little out of character (I hate using text words like OOC), but don't worry! The introduction is all over, so it should flow better from here on out. Also, I know it may seem like I over romanticized our protagonist, but that's just the way I've always seen him. I wonder if this is what they mean by rose-colored glasses…

Heh! Ichigo is Wendy Darling…how did I come up with this, anyway?

Please review! Inspire me!


	2. The Second Story

Thank you VampCrazygirl and StrayValkyrie for reviewing the first chapter. And yes, StrayValkyrie, you were right. I hope to live up to both of your expectations! I also thank Comet1234 for favoriteing my story. I shall do my best!

Again, I don't own.

* * *

As sunlight streaming in from the nearby window warmed Ichigo's waking face, the first thing he noticed was the significant loss of warmth at his back. Blinking, he sighed in relief.

_So it was just a dream._

Rolling onto his back, he noticed something that made him jolt up in a flash. Both his shirt and his sheets were damp!

…_Not a dream?_

Noises coming from downstairs told him that his family was fixing breakfast and getting ready for their day, but he couldn't seem to move from where he was sitting, questions randomly flowing to his befuddled mind.

Had any of it been real? Of course it had. The sheets could attest to that. Why did the little critter decide to crawl in and snuggle against him, out of all the people in the world? He had no clue. Why didn't he put a stop to it, somehow? Again, he didn't know. He simply hadn't felt threatened, though that alone shouldn't have been enough for him to accept some creature he couldn't even see into his personal bubble. And he fell asleep!

Sighing, the teen stood and walked to the very same window his mysterious guest had entered from, and looked down. One thing was for certain. Whatever it was, it wasn't human. There was nowhere to climb, nowhere to place one's feet or hands.

Scratching the back of his head, Ichigo decided what he'd make of it.

"Whatever."

With that out of his mind, he quickly changed his clothes and headed down for breakfast.

* * *

The smell of bacon welcomed Ichigo as he entered the kitchen. Yuzu busied herself, humming a happy tune over the stove, while Karin and Isshin seemed to be having an in-depth discussion on the photogenic compatibility the late Misaki possessed. Well, Karin's contribution seemed to be more on the topic of stupid fathers who needed to stop taking stupid pills.

Ichigo decided he'd help Yuzu, lest his father decide to pull him into it.

"Morning, Ichigo!" Yuzu chirped brightly.

"Morning…"

"Were you not able to go to sleep last night?" Yuzu asked, noticing her brother's lack of enthusiasm.

"Mmm…no." Ichigo sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Not really."

"Ahh…well. I hope this picks you up. You won't be much good at school if you're sleeping."

"True…" Ichigo took over the bacon as she started on the pancakes, thinking to himself.

Could it be that he was taking what happened last night so well because he was too tired to care? He really didn't know. He took no classes in psychology, and tried not to make a habit of overanalyzing anything, much less himself.

He was drying the dishes when he heard his friend Keigo at the door. Grabbing his bag, he set all unanswered questions aside.

He probably didn't even have any reason to worry. After all, what was the likelihood of the creature ever returning?

* * *

"-and he's just been itching for a fight. There's really no reason for no one to stand up to the jerk, and I know darn well that I can beat him in this sport. The baseball game was a fluke, anyway. So, as you can see, I really need to borrow that tennis racket."

"Like hell."

"Aww! C'mon, Ichigo! Please?"

"I let you borrow the baseball bat, and look what happened to it."

"It was just the tape on the handle," Keigo pouted. "It's not like I cracked it or anything."

"Only because you're too weak. A flimsy tennis racket will be torn to pieces by your clumsiness."

"Pleeeaaaasssse?"

Sighing, Ichigo looked up from his lunch to narrow his eyes at his leeching friend. "Why don't you just ask Tatsuki?"

"She never lets me borrow anything! All because of that dumb incident in the eighth grade!"

Yes, it was shaping up to be a regular, boring day for our protagonist.

"Fine, fine. But it better be in the same condition it's in now when you're through."

"My best friend!"

"Hey, don't hug me! Hands off! Help!"

Yes, a regular day, indeed.

"So, Ichigo. Have you decided what your project is going to be in Science?"

"Mmm. I dunno."

"Aww, ya gotta have some idea. Even I've got a plan or two."

"I'm afraid to ask, but what?"

"I was thinking of doing mine on the universal question: why doesn't glue stick inside it's bottle?"

"…Uh…huh…"

"But I'm more keen on the chemical composition of a hot dog, now."

"Interesting."

"I know, right?"

"Maybe I should do mine on your brain."

"Ooh, good one. Why didn't I think of that?"

Ichigo sighed. "Seriously, I have no idea what I want to do."

"What's wrong with the brain idea?" Ichigo gave him a 'look'. "Okay, well, think of something random, then just go with it. That's not so hard."

"Hmm…" Ichigo's second story window came to mind. "Maybe…the possibility of being able to fly without using machinery of any sort?"

"…"

"That was stupid. Forget it."

"My hero."

* * *

"I'm ho-"

"Ichigooo!" The teenager dodged his father's kick, grabbed his right arm and shoulder, and sent him flying into the kitchen wall. "Oww…that smarts."

"Stop randomly attacking me, then!"

"But it wasn't random! I had something to tell you!"

"…that doesn't even make sense, but okay. What is it?"

"Old Man Chunyo may be coming down with pneumonia, and he's way too old to be able to take it in stride. I'm about to head over there now."

"Oh." Old Man Chunyo had been called that before Ichigo was even born. A bright, cheerful 95 year old, Chunyo was very popular with the children. Ichigo, himself, had taken to visiting the old man when he was younger, always with the promise of sweets and interesting stories, and still visited him every so often when he could. It was only natural for Ichigo to see the man as a grandfather, so news of his illness didn't sit well.

"Yeah. I might be there most of the night, so my question is…should I hire a babysitter?"

"…Are you kidding me?"

"Well, you're only fifteen…"

"Fifteen year olds are the babysitters, Dad. Just get out of here."

"But I've never been out all night before…"

"Then take a babysitter with you! Now go! Scram!" Isshin protested as Ichigo literally pushed him out, slamming the door behind him.

Isshin sighed, slowly walking down the street. _They grow up too fast. _

"Wait, Dad!"

He turned to see his son leaning out the kitchen window, holding an apple.

"For Old Man Chunyo!" With that, he tossed the apple to his father and closed the window.

Isshin's face contorted into a goofy grin as his steps lightened on his way to his patient's home.

* * *

It was a peaceful evening, for once. Ichigo was reinforcing his tennis racket with duct tape, hopefully making it Keigo-proof, Karin engrossed herself in her newest romance novel (hidden by a fake Steven King book cover), disregarding her schoolwork completely, and Yuzu was napping on the couch. It was only when Karin looked up to see her brother practically mummifying his racket that she deigned to start a conversation.

"Don't tell me you're going to let Keigo borrow more of your stuff."

"Yeah." She narrowed her eyes. "What? You would too if he kept pestering you about it."

"You know what your problem is? You're too nice."

"You're joking."

Karin set her book aside and shifted up. "No, seriously. Why can't you just keep saying no?"

"It's just an object, Karin. If he needs it, he needs it. Besides, I don't really play much, anymore."

"Too niiicce," she singsonged.

"I've already nearly cussed him out when he returned the bat."

"Nearly being the key word."

"Are you calling me a pushover?"

"When it comes to helping the undeserving? Should I stop talking now to create the effect that I have to think about it?"

"Why don't you just stop talking, period?"

"Bartholomew!"

The two arguing siblings blinked at the unexpected exclamation. They turned to the source to find a teary eyed Yuzu blinking back at them.

"The clowns-the clowns are going to eat Bartholomew!"

"Whoa, Yuzu, calm down." Karin attempted to comfort her sister.

"McDonald is gonna make a hamburger outta him!"

"Here." Ichigo picked up her stuffed lion from where it fell off the couch and sat it on her lap.

"Oh, Bartholomew! You're alright!"

"Of course it is, stupid. You were having a dumb dream."

"Karin?" Yuzu looked up. "When did I fall asleep?"

"Right after dinner. C'mon, let's go to bed."

"But…" Yuzu looked hopefully at her brother, who once again sighed.

"Get your own sheets. I'll be in my room." With that, he left the room, ignoring Karin's knowing smirk completely.

"Alright! Come on, Karin! Let's get ready for bed!"

"Right, right."

* * *

A good bit of cajoling and a twisted Three Little Bears story later, and it was midnight. Ichigo and his sisters were tucked nice and tight in his queen-sized bed, sleeping soundly. Rather, the girls were sleeping soundly. It was a bit hard for Ichigo to when one sister was practically choking him in her cuddling while the other kneed his shins and attempted to pull his arm out of his socket whilst embracing it.

Ichigo sighed, only to realize that he'd been doing that an awful lot, inspiring another sigh to follow. He attempted to pull away from Yuzu's stranglehold, only to have her arms tighten even more.

It was just before he nearly sighed again that he heard it. The opening of his window. Taking a silent breath, Ichigo mentally prepared himself for a confrontation. He was NOT going to be a pushover, not this time, and especially not when his sisters might be in danger.

It was odd, what happened next. Ichigo sensed the presence getting closer somehow, but couldn't hear a single footstep. Tension hung about Ichigo like an ESP mind lock. He couldn't move. It remained this way for a few minutes, and he was almost tempted to write it off and believe that he imagined the whole thing, when he felt tiny hands on his face. Those hands…

Ichigo almost gasped at the feeling those hands gave him. He wanted to protect those hands that seemed so frail.

That was when he decided enough was enough.

He opened his eyes, startling the mystery guest above him. Yes, above him. The whole situation was so ridiculous, it took a moment for everything to sink in. Gliding steadily above Ichigo was a small toddler of the female persuasion, looking about the age of three or four. The little girl had seafoam green hair and wide gray eyes with a scar running down between them. On her nose was a strange red slash, like a tattoo. A skull-like head plate covered a portion of her cranium. Her only clothing was a tattered green tunic that may have come all the way down to her feet, though it was difficult to say given her horizontal position in the air above him. That being determined, there was one question that remained.

_What the heck?!_

"……….." Ichigo inquired.

"……….." The little girl responded.

"…Alright, I'll bite. Who are you?"

The toddler grinned widely, still horizontal, and stuck her hand out.

"Nice ta meetcha! I'm Nel!"


	3. The Third Story

Hey! I'm finally back. Took forever to escape the asylum-I mean! I had a lovely vacation in the Caribbean, so it was difficult to return to my normal life. Sorry that I take forever to update. I fail at life, I know.

Oh! And a confession. I may have given Nel too much of a babyish dialect. If so, tell me. I'll be too lazy to change it for the better later if you don't, and I'll hate it just as much as you. Still won't do anything, though.

Disclaimer: I wish. Well, not really. It'd be too much of a pain.

* * *

Everything seemed so surreal to Ichigo. A munchkin-like little girl with caveman fashion sense was floating in thin air above him and his sleeping sisters, holding out her hand and grinning like it was the most normal thing in the world. It was so absurd, part of Ichigo believed that he had actually fallen asleep without realizing it. It was most likely that part of him that gave him the courage to do what he did next. He slowly unwrapped his arm from Karin's vice-grip and held it straight out above him, grasping the girl's little hand.

"Name's Ichigo."

"Itsygo?" Nel tilted her head to the side cutely.

"Umm…close enough."

"Itsygo…Itsygo!" She giggled, repeating his name as if it was her favorite game.

Looking up at his hand, currently being swung back and forth by the little midget, he felt something of a mix between excitement and dread.

"This…isn't a dream, is it?" His voice sounded depressingly accepting to his ears.

"Nope! Silly Itsygo, why think that?"

"Yeah, Ichigo. Why think that?" Ichigo pouted.

"Woooow! You talk to yourself, too?! 'Cuz Nel talks to herself all the time!"

"Really?" He asked somewhat sardonically. He was a bit put out by the outrageously normal conversation he was sharing with this quirky intruder, talking to her as if she were one of his sisters.

"Uh-hum!" Her grin widened further. "But only when Dondochakka and Pesche aren't around!"

"Oh? Who're they?"

"My bestest friends in the whole wide Hueco Mundo!"

"Hueco Mundo? Is that Spanish?"

"Umm…I dunno. What's Spanish?"

"…"

"…"

"Never mind." He resisted the urge to roll his eyes magnificently. "Where's Hueco Mundo?" Nel took her other hand and pointed it at the ceiling. "What? Outer space?" At Nel's shrug, his eyes widened. "So you're an alien?!"

"No way! I'm not fuzzy at all!"

This put Ichigo at a loss. What did fuzziness have to do with anything? He decided he should switch the subject, lest he gain a headache. Besides, there were more pressing questions weighing at his mind.

"How can you float like that?"

"Huh? Ya mean, how c'n I fly, right?"

"Uh, yeah. Whatever."

"Easy! All ya really need is fairy dust."

"…fairy dust."

"Uhuh!"

"Right." Ichigo refrained from saying how impossible that was, as the whole situation was proving to be impossible, so he continued his questioning the only way he knew how. "So, you have a, uh, fairy?"

"Uhuh!"

"With you?"

"Uhuh!"

"…can I see it?" He felt a bit stupid for asking such a thing, but really! If it were anyone else, they would be asking too. At least, that's what he was telling himself as he said it.

"Sure!" With that response, Nel finally let go of Ichigo's hand and flew over to the window she left open and exited. Ichigo sat up, being cautious of his sisters' sleepy state. Nel reentered with something glittery flying ahead of her directly towards Ichigo. What Ichigo saw…well…

It was a very tiny man, slightly taller than his ring finger, and yet Ichigo had the feeling that if the man had been human, he would've been much bigger than Ichigo himself. The fairy had a burly build, dark skin and dark wavy brown hair. His bangs covered his eyes, so Ichigo couldn't tell what color or shape they were, but from what he could see, the person looked partly Latino. All in all, a butch man one would be afraid to meet in a dark alley. And yet, Ichigo was fighting back the urge to crack a smile. The fairy wore sparkly green tights and a bright clover shirt that resembled the design of the Hawaiian shirts Isshin had purchased over the years. From his back sprouted faded lime-green fairy wings. He thought he might have seen a heart tattooed on a shoulder, but the sleeve moved in the way before he had the chance to look twice.

"Itsygo, meet Chad!" Ichigo nodded towards the fashion impaired fairy, containing himself. "Chad, meet mommy!" That pulled Ichigo out of his humor-induced stupor.

"Wait, come again?" Raising an eyebrow, he switched from scrutinizing Chad to looking incredulously at Nel, who was wearing the absolutely fakest innocent smile Ichigo had ever seen.

"Wait what?" She replied.

"You just said…"

"Hmm?" She began glowing with the essence of innocence, admittedly creeping him out.

"…What're you doing here anyway?"

"Whad ya mean, Itsy?" Ichigo's scowl deepened in response to the unwanted nickname.

"Here. In my room. Why?" Chad, apparently having already taken a liking to him, was sitting on his shoulder, twirling the strawberry locks at the base of Ichigo's neck in his hands.

"Oh!" Nel put her fist in her hand as if she just realized something. "That!"

"Yeah, that."

"Well…you see…"

"Yes?"

"You…aw, you just tell the awesomest of stories!"

Ichigo blinked. _Stories…?_

"I heard'ja last night! Y'see, I was caught in this mean old storm, and really didn't think I could travel dimensions-"

"Travel dimensions?!"

"Yep, so I was in a real pickle and the light stuff and boom stuff was pickin' a fight, right?" She looked over to Chad. "Right, Chad?" Chad nodded his affirmation. "Yeah! So, anyway, I was gettin' to be real bad wet, and looked for somewhere out of it all, and guess what? Guess what?!"

"Umm…you found my window and used the cover over it for shelter?"

"Aww, Itsygo, you're too smart! Anyway, I was out of the rain finally, but knew it might take an awful long time for it to quit, so to Chad I said 'Chad? This rain is horrible and the light stuff is really mean, so lets stay here a while before heading home, 'kay?' And he said 'okay'."

"Wait, Chad can talk?"

"Yup, he's just shy. Oh! But we stayed at your window for a second before something happened. Know what happened, Itsy?"

"Uhh…"

"We looked inside! You was telling your little sisses about that bandit, the one who kept crying John? Yeah, that one. Well, I really liked it. The adventure! The danger! It was great! I got so into it I knocked my head against the window, so I had to go up to the roof to hide when you came out to see what it was. Then you didn't even finish the story! That's been bugging me a whole bunch, ya know!"

"Um, sorry."

"Don't be! That's how I came up with this idea. Why don't you come home with me? It'll be so much fun, and you can tell all my friends stories!"

"…" Ichigo was mostly silent through the whole story, but here he was struck completely dumb. This girl, this…Nel person was inviting him to travel outside of his world into…well, outer space, an alternate dimension, SOMETHING weird and unnatural. To be honest, he wasn't even toying with the idea that he'd go. He'd have to be completely crazy, not to mention the fact that he'd be leaving his little sisters and useless father behind. There was just no way! No way in Hell!

"Um, look." He looked into Nel's eyes, silently hoping she wasn't going to throw a hissy fit over this. He really didn't think he was good with kids at all. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. I'm needed here. I've got my school life to worry about, and there's no way I'd abandon my family for the whims of a little girl. I just can't!"

"Aww, Itsygo…" Nel pouted, then looked thoughtful. "Well…if ya can't leave your family…they could come too."

Ichigo was about to adamantly protest against the idea when a different voice was heard.

"We're going!" Karin sat up next to Ichigo, radiating pure excitement, not paying any attention to her brother's slackened jaw upon learning that she was awake and listening.

"You don't really mean that!" Yuzu joined in, sitting up herself. Ichigo was torn between either being twice as shocked and annoyed or speaking up to agree with her. "What about Daddy?"

"What do you mean, 'what about Daddy'? He'd go himself if he'd been invited, but he has a job, so he can't!"

"Yeah, but…"

"Yeah, but nothing! Think of how happy he'll be if we bring back souvenirs! It's our duty to go, for Dad's sake!"

Yuzu gasped. "You're right, Karin! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you're not as awesome as me, obviously."

"So this means…"

"Uhuh!"

As one they said the two words Ichigo really didn't want to hear. "Let's go!"

"Great!" Nel joined in the happy chorus. "Now we've got aunts to add as well!"

"Hold on! Why am I a mom?! I mean, wait!" Ichigo backpedaled. "What are you two thinking?! You're agreeing to get whisked off someplace, and you don't even know where! You're not even asking questions!"

"Well, it really isn't special." Nel started, seeming to take Ichigo's outburst as an inquiry. "There's the normal things: mermaids, fairies, pirates, soldiers, Indians, man-eating plants. You know, the works."

"Oh, wow," Yuzu gasped.

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about." Karin's movie lingo slipped through without a second thought.

"Wait!" Ichigo was becoming downright frantic. As the older brother, he had to come up with something to keep this disaster-in-the-making from coming to fruition. Suddenly, he was struck with an idea he was praying to God would work. "Wait," he repeated. "Nel, didn't you say your home was up there?" He pointed to the roof.

"Yup, it's really far up there, but not travel wise. How come?"

"Well, there's nothing but air up there, and we can't fly like you, so-"

"Oh, don't worry 'bout that! Chad, glitter 'em up, okay?"

Chad did just that. He maneuvered around Ichigo and his sisters, seemingly shedding his wings of some of it's sparkles. The results were instantaneous on Yuzu and Karin. Their feet floated off of the floor, making them squeal in delight.

"Oh, no," Ichigo groaned. There went his best way out.

"Happy thoughts!" Nel was shouting at his sisters. "That's all you need to get goin'!" He sighed, able to infer himself what that meant the girls were feeling right now.

"Ichigo!" Yuzu floated above him, huge smile in place as she reached out to him. Sighing a second time, he smiled and grabbed hold of her, feeling himself get lighter. It figured. He was a sucker, he knew it, but seeing his sisters happy was one of his greatest joys, so he simply couldn't resist. Besides, it really did feel good to float and hover around the open air of his bedroom. It reminded him somewhat of swimming, only there was no worry of drowning or getting water up your nose. It was…lovely.

Nel also seemed happy, moving around Ichigo as if she were floating down a river backwards. Then, she looked at him. "So, this means you'll go, right?"

Ichigo's smile faltered slightly, and he felt himself move slowly to the ground. "I don't know. While Dad is immature, there's no arguing the fact that he'll be upset as Hell if he comes home and finds his kids missing…" He groaned, rubbing his hands over his face. "Old man needs to get a cell phone, already!"

"Chunyo doesn't have a phone, does he, Karin?" Yuzu asked.

"Nope."

"Hmm…we could leave him a note, but that's not the same thing as getting his permission." Ichigo thought hard. "Nel, could this maybe wait until tomorrow? Dad'll be back by then."

"NO!" Nel shouted. Then she gave a very unconvincing smile. "I-I mean, I really don't know if I'll be able to come back any time soon. I might be a little busy, ya know?" She laughed, nervously rubbing the back of her head. "If I showed you tha' way the first time, though, I know you could return with no problems!"

Ichigo was suddenly more unconvinced than ever. His sisters, however, were determined. They moved as one, Karin grabbing a pen and sheet of paper to write a note while Yuzu grabbed Bartholomew and ran out the door to get shoes for everyone. Ichigo looked on, slightly incredulous. Surely Yuzu wasn't planning on leaving the house in her nightgown? And Karin would have enough sense to dress up in more than a tank top and shorts before leaving for a questionable climate, right? Ichigo himself was bare chested, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. That meant he had enough time to figure out how to persuade everyone to calm down and think.

It's too bad thinking first wasn't really his specialty. Otherwise, he might have had the sense to dress properly and tell Karin to go do the same before Yuzu rushed back with a backpack full of God-knows-what and Karin finished her letter. Unfortunately, as it stands, he didn't have that sense, so he was basically thrust out the window when Nel grabbed his arm and pulled.

He was shocked, and just a bit miffed about it all-he'd never said he even wanted to go after all-and he would've stopped it then and there. He really would have. He'd have told his sisters that they were being fools, rushing into something they knew nothing about, and they weren't even prepared for it, if the small bag resting on Karin's back was any clue. He would have pointed out that their leader was a toddler who didn't seem to be completely honest with them.

He'd have done all he could do if he was truly desperate enough. Only…it felt really good, with the wind on his face and nothing on his feet. The feeling of flight was just too new, and he found that he couldn't resist, no matter how he wished to. And then the real fun began; they were heading for the stars. All logic in Ichigo's brain told him that they couldn't really be going into outer space. It was impossible in an entirely different way than flying. He briefly wondered if they had already flown out of the safety of Earth's atmosphere, which was a thought that did nothing for his nerves. There was no way of telling how fast they were going. Taking a calming breath, he closed his eyes, letting Nel lead him.

Nel looked back at Ichigo after his eyes had closed, feeling slightly guilty. She did say that they could get back whenever they wanted, but the truth of it was that she herself would get lost if it weren't for Chad lighting her way. Even worse, she lied about why they had to leave that night. The pathway that connected the two worlds wasn't supposed to be there. It hadn't been before; she knew that. She also knew that it might vanish at any given time, which was the real reason she took Ichigo when she did. She didn't want to risk being permanently cut off from this boy. That was just how she justified her lying to herself. Perhaps taking Karin's note, ripping it in two, and shoving it under the bed was overkill, but what if his crazy father somehow knew of a way to retrieve him? She didn't want to leave a single clue. She was sorry for it, but she did it all because she liked him too much. With that thought in her mind, her hand unconsciously tightened it's grip on his.

She watched as Ichigo's eyes reopened and smiled at him. He looked unsure, but she could be very sneaky when she wanted to be, much at odds with her toddler appearance. He seemed sensitive to the purity of it all, so she did the only thing that she could be sure of. She used it against him.

Ichigo saw Nel look down from her horizontal position, still traveling, and moved her free hand downward. He was once again surprised; where there seemed to be nothing but darkness and stars, a series of ripples formed as if…as if she were disturbing water.

Suddenly, he had the urge to look ahead, and what he saw was the biggest shock of all. There, just ahead of him, was an pinkish hue that allowed him to see clouds. He looked behind him to see if his sisters saw it too. Judging by their open-mouthed expressions, they did. Grinning at their reactions, Nel pulled Ichigo up towards the dawning sky and let him down on a particularly thick cloud.

The dawn came surprisingly fast, lighting everything up for the Kurosaki children to see. They were on a cloud that felt, surprisingly, like cotton, resting above a vast ocean. Out in the distance, Ichigo saw a huge landmass that reminded him of the brochures he'd thrown away concerning tropical paradises. It was undeniably beautiful.

Nel admired the awe on Ichigo's face, temporarily disregarding the other two who were just as amazed. Feeling proud of the fact that she caused that expression, she flew off of the cloud to move in front of him.

"May I present to you my home, the beautiful Hueco Mundo!"

* * *

Isshin was feeling…well, there were no words, really. Failure was the most accurate word for it, he supposed. Old Man Chunyo died late into the night without much of a fight. Isshin knew he was too old to live much longer; heck, the man had been old before Isshin's oldest child had even been born! Still, he hated the feeling of failing to save a life, no matter how unlikely the victory was to begin with. More than that, he hated having to tell his children that he'd failed to save the old man they cherished.

Ichigo…just thinking about his possible reaction made Isshin stop his trek home and tighten his hold on the apple his son had given him to deliver. What would he tell Ichigo? He was the closest out of the three of them. Isshin hadn't seen that boy cry since…well, since his mother died when he was still a small child. Would he cry for this? Isshin truly didn't know, but he prayed not. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to take his son's tears. Sighing as he unlocked his front door, he decided it made no sense to wait. Dawn was already peeking over the horizon, and they were about to have to get up for school, anyway. Mind set, he headed up the stairs to Ichigo's room.

It isn't hard to imagine what he found when he got there. Ichigo's bed was messed up, obviously having been slept in, but painfully empty now. Isshin was drawn to the open window by the curtains that were swaying with a calm breeze. Panic rose in his chest quickly. He vaguely wondered if he might be having a heart attack. Nonetheless, he made his legs move, staggeringly, to his daughters' room. He prayed as he turned the knob. The room was, somehow, just as he expected. Empty.

His next step was to search both rooms, the living room, and the kitchen for a note. They would have never left without some form of note.

There was nothing.

There wasn't any logic in it, but somehow he knew. Isshin felt as if he were being swallowed whole by a ferocious monster, his grief and sense of failure rising all the more. His brain told him to not panic, that perhaps they had gone to a friend's house, or maybe they decided to go out to breakfast since he wasn't there, but it was a weak argument at best. His heart was hurting far too much for that to be the case. It was screaming something his mind simply wasn't ready to comprehend. It was screaming that they were somewhere far away, somewhere he couldn't protect them.

Falling onto his knees, he gasped for breath while clutching Ichigo's red apple tightly to his chest.

* * *

A/N: Hah! You people thought I couldn't do drama, didn't you? To be honest…I would have agreed with you. I guess I'm more talented than I thought.

Now, about Hueco Mundo! I know it's supposed to be a desert wasteland. And no, I'm not just changing things around so they'll fit. It'll all come full circle. Just have a little faith in me, yeah? ^u^


	4. The Fourth Story

I...am so horrible. A year? Really? I...don't even deserve to live. I really don't. I could cry over how horrible I am. Know what's worse? I wrote most of this nearly a year agoooo! *Sobs* I suck. I suck so much. I do. I was so busy stalking other people, I wasn't taking care of my own business. May the god of fanfiction strike me dead for my horrible disservice! I WILL GET ONE CHAPTER OF ONE OF MY STORIES OUT ONCE A MONTH AT LEAST! I'd say once a week, and I'll try, but if I'm so pathetic I'd wait a year...even I have no faith in me anymore! I SHALL REPENT!

In case you've yet to tell, this story will have scenes very similar to the ones in the Peter Pan movie-the live action one, that is. I haven't seen the cartoon in years…I really need to, though. Anyway, while there will be similar scenes, you can rest assured that they will come and go as the plot allows. I've got my own concept going on, so please bear with me and not assume that it's all going to be something you've seen before. Oh! And thanks for your support, undeserving though I am. *Bows and exits stage left*

I do not own!

* * *

The Kurosaki children were amazed. The scenery was simply to die for. The ocean was vast, the island inviting and warm, and the sun rising over the watery horizon struck something in their hearts. Even Ichigo, who made it a point not to get too sentimental, had difficulty masking his awe. Hueco Mundo was absolutely beautiful!

It was due to all of this that they hadn't noticed the sun wasn't the only thing to be seen on the horizon. If they had squinted, they might have spotted the pirate ship heading steadily towards them and avoided a great deal of trouble.

As it was, the pirates had yet to spot them as well. While it was true that the ship moved as if the devil itself were chasing it, this was due to a certain teal-haired first mate's odd quirks, such as not being able to do anything without a sense of danger and always wanting to move-fast.

Indeed, that very same first mate was so bored, he was on the verge of tears.

"Maaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnn~" groaned Grimmjow, laying his head on the ship banister. "Isn't there anything to pick a fight with around here?"

"In the middle of the vast and open sea? Let me think," replied the shipmate behind him. "That would be no."

"Shut up, Stark. No one asked you."

"Then who were you asking, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I do."

"Oh, don't be so whiny. You wouldn't be so bored if you actually helped out a little."

It was true. Aaroniero was on lookout in the birds nest. Harribel was swabbing floors, occasionally 'accidentally' hitting people in the process. Nnoitra was fixing a tear in the starboard sails. Szayel was making a complete ass of himself to Harribel, attempting to 'help'. The odd pair, Wonderweiss and Yammy, were attempting to cook something resembling breakfast. Gin and Ulquiorra were both in the study with the captain, planning routes and attack methods. Even Stark was working, fetching barrels of rum and ale for breakfast. Pirates had a tendancy to start rather early on in the day where drinking was concerned, and it was very early, which might have had something to do with Grimmjow's bout of laziness.

"But it's so boooooorrriiinnnnngggggg!" wailed Grimmjow. At Stark's raised eyebrow, he continued. "It's just so…domestic right now. I feel like I'm playing house! Can't we just…land for a bit? Pick a fight with a crocodile or something?"

"Yeah, because you know how much Captain Aizen loves those crocs, right?"

"…Damn."

"Damn, indeed."

I must, at this point, let it be known that the captain does not make a habit of being fearful or cowardly. In fact, there isn't a thing he seemed to fear other than weakness, a feeling he avoided at all costs. So it would follow that he wouldn't be afraid of crocodiles. And he wasn't. Of all of them, anyway. Mostly just annoyed with one in particular.

Before you assume anything, allow me to interject your thought process and say that he wasn't a survival victim with a newfound phobia, at least in so many words. His hand wasn't bitten off by a crocodile or anything as ridiculous as that. No, he was just plain annoyed. Reasons for this will become apparent later on in the story, I'm sure. For now, let us resume.

"I could see if Aaroniero can fly…"

"You should really see about getting therapy."

"Doesn't sound very fun, though, does-"

"~_Grimmjow!" _yelled Aaroniero from the crows nest.

"I didn't mean it! I swear!"

"_What? No! Get the captain! Code Blue!"_

Grimmjow's eyes widened. Code Blue? Seriously?

"_Now! And slow the ship down!"_

Leaving Stark to direct the crew on hand, Grimmjow ran through the doorway of the cabin, reaching the study and shouting as quick and steady as he could.

_"Codeblue!"_

Three sets of eyes fell on him, wondering what he could have possibly said that would be two syllables long and have the infamous Grimmjow frantic.

"Perhaps you would care to repeat yourself?" Gin suggested. "Only, you know. Audibly."

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he glared at the squinty-eyed man and said, calm as you please, "Code. Blue".

Silence. Then an order to move. Then the four in the room exited in a most uncharacteristically undignified fashion, stumbling over each other in a way that had even the creepily stoic Ulquiorra gasp and grumble.

Eventually, the four heads reached the deck where Aaroniero awaited them, telescope in hand.

"Above and to the right. On the sizeable cloud with the slightly whiter tint, just above the land's border." With that, he handed his telescope over to his captain, who followed his direction perfectly.

"Yes, I see her. The little brat. Missing for two years, not a trace to be found anywhere, and she pops up on a cloud of all things."

"It doesn't look like she's alone, either."

"Oh?" asked Gin. "Is the conquest to be further intervened?"

"Highly doubtful," replied Captain Aizen. "It is merely two little girls and a boy just into his teens. True children, unlike the brat."

"A boy?" asked Grimmjow. Truly, he was aching for any form of a fight, even if it was one-sided on his part. A weakling would be insulting, but it could take the edge off. "Does he look like much?"

"Hard to tell. Regardless, you are not to initiate anything until I give the order. They have yet to see us." The captain turned away from the glass to narrow his eyes at his first mate, making sure he understood, before returning. "Oh."

"What now?"

"I must retract that last comment, is all."

"Crap. Stations, everyone!"

* * *

"It's amazing!" Yuzu cried happily.

"That's the understatement of the year." Karin wore a goofy smile that would make her father proud.

They had been resting for about five minutes now, and the Kurosaki children still could not let go of that dreamlike feeling. Nel herself was beginning to become lightheaded with joy. She had done it. She'd actually done it! Ichigo was laid next to her, resting on his elbows on the cotton-like substance, all ideas of home fleeing his mind like the smoke from a chimney. She doubted from the expression on his face that he was going to ask to be taken back any time soon. He was here to stay if she had any say about it. And she did.

Soon, though, her mood turned sour. She prided herself in her exceptional eyesight, and it told her that they were no longer alone.

"Well, crap."

"Huh?" Ichigo turned his head to find her full-on pouting, reaching into her tunic and pulling out a collapsible spyglass. Looking into it, she began grumbling nonsense. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Nel looked at him with a guilty expression similar to the one Karin wore when she did something she knew he wouldn't appreciate in the least.

"Just some unplanned playmates, is all." At his raised eyebrow, she handed the glass over and pointed in a general direction. Following her finger, he raised the glass to his eye, seeing pure chaos through it.

It was a large ship, clearly built for many passengers. And there were many. They scurried about like disturbed ants. They were so diverse in appearance, he wasn't sure what to make of it. There was a squinty eyed man with white hair of all things, not looking the least bit old. Another one had something akin to goth makeup on his face. One that truly stood out had blue hair. Not even a masculine, dark blue, but an aqua, no…teal color. Ichigo couldn't help but wonder if it was normal in this world for people to have pastel hair colors. He was pretty sure he saw a flurry of pink somewhere in there as well.

Hair color aside, there were other important questions, like: "Why are they running around like that?"

"…Well, they maybe have a spy glass too, so they maybe can see us up here, so maybe they decided they don't like us, in which maybe they're getting an attack ready…?"

Narrowing his eyes at the 'little girl', Ichigo began to get a feel of what her character was. "So when you say 'maybe', could it 'maybe' mean 'definitely'?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On what that cannon ball heading for us means."

"Huh?"

Nel pushed him out of the way as an odd ball of the strangest composition sailed past. Unfortunately, the ball's velocity threw the boy off of the cloud, sending him sailing through the air. Karin and Yuzu, who were quiet throughout the aforementioned exchange between their elder brother and their guide, were made to make rather loud sounds as they hung on to the cloud's frail substance for dear life. For, if they fell, it would be rather rotten luck. Assuming the fairy dust hadn't worn off, it wouldn't do any good anyway. It is very hard to have good thoughts when one is hanging on by a thread. Nor could they rely on someone to save them, as their brother had been winded away and Nel, for some reason or another, felt it her duty to go antagonize the frantic crew.

Yuzu's hand was the first to slip. Karin reached out to save her, dooming herself.

And so it went, that the Kurosaki sisters fell to the ground below.

* * *

Ichigo was frantic.

Anyone would understand that. One minute he was sitting on a nice, comfy cloud with his two little sissies, and the next, he was being catapulted into the air. Only he didn't stay there. Of course, like his two sisters, he had trouble keeping happy thoughts as well. Therefore, gravity now applied to him. A flurry of thoughts rushed through his head, none too good, but he was trying. As one would assume, his thought process was quite jumbled, following a pattern similar to this:

_Oh, frick'n !*$&, I'm falling!_

_God, please let my sisters be alright._

_*^, I'm gonna DIE!_

_But I haven't turned my science project in yet…_

_Who cares, I'm dying…_

_Chad really needs to let go of my hair…_

_Crap, that's right!_

And just like that, he stopped falling, midair, yards from the unforgiving ground of the forest below him. It is rather easy to have positive thoughts when you realize that there is a way to save yourself from certain death, after all.

Ichigo sighed heavily in relief. Chad snuggled against his ear as he made his way to the forest floor. He was past ready to have something solid under his feet at this point, as I imagine any of us would be. It wasn't until he was standing under a large canopy of trees that he was truly restful, though. And even then, with his heart having stood about all it could and his eyes tired from being awake all through the night, he couldn't stop. His sisters weren't with him. Neither was Nel. Sighing once more, he turned to Chad, hovering above his shoulder.

"I don't know about you, dude, but I'm totally lost. You know of any way we can meet up with Nel and my sisters?" Chad nodded and reached down for Ichigo's pinky to pull him along (for, as you may recall, Ichigo had not been wearing a shirt to tug). Ichigo walked to the pull of his fingers, hoping fairies were smarter than insects. After all, he wasn't too knowledgeable about these types of things. But Chad seemed sure, so Ichigo kept faith as he was led through the forest.

* * *

Yuzu and Karin…weren't so lucky.

Never fear, they didn't die from their bout with gravity, but they did manage to get into quite the predicament. They had been blessed with the presence of numerous branches to help break their fall, giving them only minor cuts and bruises. They'd even been lucky enough to land in a huge puddle of muddy swamp water. Not that Karin saw it that way as she popped her head through the surface and sputtered things that would make a sailor blush. Yuzu was much more tame, wiping slimy residue from her face, then proceeding to clean Bartholomew off on the grassy shore they climbed onto.

"What the hell were those jerks doing?" Karin was NOT a happy camper. "What'd we do to get that reaction? Huh?"

Yuzu felt it in her best interest to answer, judging by the way Karin was looking towards her. "Well, they are pirates. Maybe…um." Suddenly her eyes widened. "K…K-Karin."

Following her sister's view, Karin, too, felt her eyes widen. "Oh, GOD, no…" she whispered.

* * *

End of Chapter

I know it's a bit short. I kind of panicked when I realized how long it had been, so I didn't end it quite how I had meant to before. I'll have an extra-long chapter up next before May to make up for it. God, I'm so horrible! Wahhhh! Anyone want to comment on this? Flame me, please! It'll make me feel better. Oh, but I guess that isn't the point, huh? Hmm.

...anyone have requests?


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